Clemson's Sammy Watkins arrested

Clemson star receiver Sammy Watkins was one of two Tiger athletes arrested early Friday on drug-related charges.

Watkins, 18, was charged with possession of a controlled substance and simple possession of marijuana, both misdemeanors. Men's soccer player Amadou-Tidiane Daniel Dia, 18, was charged with simple possession of marijuana.

Watkins

The two were arrested after police stopped the car Watkins was driving when it scraped against a curb on campus and because the temporary license tag was not illuminated.

The officer smelled marijuana when he pulled the car over in a parking lot of Commons Court, and during a search he found marijuana and two pills that Watkins did not have a prescription for.

After being arrested and taken to the Clemson City Jail, Watkins was released on a $1,620 personal recognizance bond. Dia was released on a $620 personal recognizance bond.

"I am aware of the arrest last night," Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney said in a release. "I am mad and hurt by the poor decision that Sammy Watkins made. He is a good young man who has been a model student, citizen, player and teammate. This is a reminder that good people make poor decisions. But, there are consequences for your actions ... and there will be in this case.

"I am in the process of gathering the facts and discipline will be determined when I have completed that process."

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The ACC's rookie of the year in 2011, Watkins burst onto the national scene as a freshman, catching 82 passes for 1,219 yards and 12 touchdowns during the Tigers' conference-title winning campaign. He added 231 rushing yards on 32 carries.

"I made a mistake last night and I am truly sorry for my actions," Watkins said in a news release. "I let the team down, the coaches down and this university down. I will learn from this. I will accept any discipline Coach Swinney and the university issues."

Watkins led the ACC last season in all-purpose yards per game while finishing second in receiving yards per game, second in kickoff return average, third in catches per game and tied for third in touchdowns per game.

"I was made aware of the arrest of these two student-athletes early this morning," Clemson athletic director Terry Don Phillips said in a release. "From a departmental standpoint I have been in consultation with both coaches today and will continue to over the next few days regarding this situation."